APR. MAG. 2013
III
asing attention to how he spends. The
margin is lower for all and for our part
we must be ready to offer a great service
to the caterer: assuring flexibility, not to
impose minimum quantities, but keeping
an appropriate price guarantee only
what you need with supplies diligent,
because the restaurant today tends stores
to have more and more “light”.
Vincenzo Santapaola from the Catania’s
New Vecagel thinks the same way. “In
Sicily the change went in the direction of
the frequent supplies.
Entice the restaurant with promotions
of products at reduced prices does lit-
tle, because even if you have paid less,
then you must be sure to sell what you
bought. It is essential to our reliability
and punctuality to ensure supplies that
are small and constant, even in the short
term.
And then I would like to dispel a myth:
it is said that the local product costs less,
the globalization of markets has much
influence on the prices of goods also
comes from far away, so it’s up to us to
suggest the product that offers our custo-
mers the best value quality/price.
As it is clear, there are many issues on
which the success of a feast, starting
with the need to create a well structured
organization, even if constituted in part
by support staff, hired for the occasion.
A good tip operating - especially if
you are working with staff “flying” or
temporary - is to define the key points
of their company policy in a handbook:
guidelines that everyone must learn to
cope with various situations, how to
be welcomed a client, how to deal with
guests who raised the elbow or you feel
unwell.
It is indispensable to take into account
the new trends in the menu power light
of the growing number of people with
allergies, intolerance to some foods,
vegetarian or vegan.
Proceed with a method
For a valid result a preliminary
organization is a must, which is based
on some “pillars”, as taught by the chef
Franco Luise - executive chef for four
years at the Hilton Molino Stucky and
now at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in
Jerusalem - in the book “Banqueting and
catering “(ed. Bibliotheca Culinaria).
There are four key points to consider:
product, location, people, and profits.
The product should represent the best of
gastronomic proposal of the restaurant,
taking into account the needs expressed
by the customer, all of which should be
appropriate to the chosen location, style
and prestige.
People, then: even the most beautiful
place and the best dishes can be
debased by an ill-maintained. Finally,
the profits, which come to fruition
require the preparation of some practical
information sheets (see box), which are
useful to plan ahead profits and losses.
Service solutions
Just for the service spending few more
words is worthy. There are two times
in a banquet that the guests remember
precisely, the beginning and the end.
That is why the section of appetizers
and desserts should be spectacular and
varied. Also today, the trend seems to
reduce the flows (the second, especially)
by number and weight, but with many
more samples in the appetizer and
pastry.
Italo Nebiolo, owner of Nov.Al,
distributor Cic Orbassano (To) explains:
“Indeed, the customer tends to
decrease the number of courses, on
the other hand the restaurant has to
offer something special increasingly
requires a high capacity service on our
part, food solutions that enable them to
reduce the cost of personnel involved in
preparations base. From meat already
filleted and perfectly calibrated, the
finger food for appetizers and aperitifs.
Restaurateurs can find a wide range of
highly practical and high quality with us.
Fundamental aspects of money: we seek
and offer good quality products, perhaps
with lesser-known brands, as well as to
offer an excellent quality / price ratio. “
And just about the sought-fingerfood, we
need to keep in mind a general principle:
everything must be pleasant, elegantly
presented, already balanced in terms
of sauces or condiments, consumable
in one gulp. That’s a rule that is often
forgotten.
The restaurateur
How to respond to a changing market
In the province of Turin, in the midst of
a beautiful park, there is the Restaurant
Of Hunters, for generations a reference
point for good food and large areas
(up to 800 seats). Here weddings and
other events are often organized. To the
owner, Mrs Birocco, we asked to give
us the “pulse” of the market and tell us
about the needs of today’s clients.
“Even if during the winter season there
has been a classic stop events, with the
arrival of summer activity resumes. Of
course you see the change in the choice
of the customer, for example the number
of invited decreases. However, the
content of the menu needs change: today
less people are oriented toward the fish
for obvious cost reasons, but reappeared
poultry. The mixed fry of Piedmont is
very popular, a speciality for which our
restaurant is popular between locals. An
idea that is beginning to spread is the
proposal of the aperi-dinner, a menu
which sees an abundance of appetizers
finger food, one or two first served and
the dessert buffet, which I like to offer
between those typical of Piedmont.
Today for a wedding band average price
requested by the customer is around 60
euro.
With these figures the profit margins are
not large and, of course it is essential
to work with the right products and the
right suppliers.
AT PAGE 20
A clear proof
unforeseen contract
by Mariella Boni
In the organization of a banquet the
appearance of the contract is very
important for the restaurateur. It is in
fact a document that defines (or at least
it should define) all relevant aspects of
the event and it is essential in the case of
complaints, claims or disputes of various
kind.
A document, therefore, that binds and,
at the same time, protects the operator
in the execution of the agreement and it
must be drawn up with the utmost care.
With the support of the book
“Banqueting and Catering - art, science
and technology” (and Bibiliotheca
Culinaria,
)
we see what are the main aspects, which
can not fail to make full and regular
contract between a customer and caterer
for the provision of a banqueting service.
It starts with the following data: header
of the activity of the restaurant and the
customer, the date, time and place of the
event, with an indication of salt for this.
The terms of the contract in the event of
cancellation, specific menus and rates,
type of construction, number of seats
guaranteed, the method of payment and
the provisions concerning the payment
of the deposit Are then provided. It is
also good to contemplate the clause,
which provides, in the event of non-
payment of the deposit, the termination
of the contract and require payment of a
penalty.
It is also important to specify in the
contract if any additional services
are provided, such as the flower
arrangements whether are included or
not, the photo shoot, music, etc..
It’s dvisable to use penalties. If they are
not complied with the terms of payment
or the customer requests the annulment
of the entire event, which increases
in proportion to the notice given: the
shorter the notice, the greater the
foreseen penalty will be. That’s not it. If
the customer requests the opportunity
to serve food that is not produced by
the company (we think of the wedding
cake, often ordered directly to a pastry
trust), it may be a good care to point
out expressly in the contract that the
caterer must be considered relieved of
any consequences that may result from
products prepared by him directly.
That’s just because prudence is never
enough.
